If you’re like most couples who are trying to make an addition to the family, you want to get pregnant sooner rather than later. Having intercourse prior to ovulation definitely helps, but the reality is, even minor stressors can lead to infertility.

If you and your partner are trying to conceive, here are a few simple measures you can take to increase your chance of getting pregnant.

Optimize Your Health Naturally

Being underweight or overweight can delay your chance of conceiving. Excess body fat not only poses substantial health risks, but it can result in an excess of certain hormones that interfere with ovulation. As your cycles become less regular, you ovulate less often and your chance of becoming pregnant decrease. On the other hand, if you have too little body fat, you may not be generating enough hormones to ovulate each month or sustain a pregnancy.

Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. Just make sure you don’t overdo it. Staying well nourished is another way of boosting your odds. Make sure to include enough zinc, protein, iron, and vitamin C in your diet. Watch your caffeine or alcohol intake; it can impair your fertility. Don’t smoke! Cigarette toxins not only affect the fertilization process, it also reduces the number of eggs in you ovaries.

Protecting Your Pregnancy

Unfortunately, many couples experience recurrent miscarriage, which is sometimes due to chromosomal abnormalities. If you’re taking the IVF route, get some lab work done. Consider preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGS) for your embyo testing. Preimplantation genetic screening provides an effective way of screening against genetic abnormalities commonly associated with miscarriage and genetic disorders in newborns.

If you’re struggling with infertility, you may experience a whirlwind of emotions. It’s important to educate yourself, read as much as you can about fertility. Contact a genetic counselor, talk to your doctor, and share your experience with other couples dealing with the same situation.